Year: 2020

Remittances to MENA in 2020 to fall 19.6% due to COVID-19: WB

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Remittances to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are expected to fall 19.6% to $47bn in 2020 following the 2.6% growth achieved in 2019, according to a recent World Bank (WB) report. The report, entitled, “Migration and Development Brief: COVID-19 crisis through a migration lens”, said the decline is the result of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and resulting shutdown. The anticipated decline comes on the back of the global slowdown and lower oil prices in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the report said. It added that all…

Tech 4 Tunisia, lever for technological growth in various sectors

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The Ministry of Communication Technologies and Digital Transformation will soon launch a new program “Tech 4 Tunisia” which will make it possible to federate and materilise innovative projects in various sectors, announced minister, Mohamed Fadhel Kraiem. “This new initiative will be a lever and an implementation arm of several innovative projects in many sectors,” the minister said. In an interview with TAP, Fadhel explained that the idea for the project was born during this period during which a real momentum was created in terms of identifying innovative technological solutions for…

COVID-19: Two drones handed over to Heath Ministry

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Two drones equipped with temperature sensors and baffles were donated by the “Telnet” group to the Health Ministry as part of strengthening the Ministry’s logistical means against the spread of COVID-19. This type of drone allows large-scale sweeps to measure the temperature of citizens in an area of 7 km in diameter, reads a statement of the Ministry of Health. These drones are also equipped with acoustic amplifiers that allow the communication of awareness messages to prevent the risks of the coronavirus pandemic, the statement added. The ceremony of handing…

“For the moment, melon season is looking good,” says Med’Essor Manager

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As the Maltese season from Tunisia draws to an end, Med’Essor will soon start marketing its first Spanish melons. “We are at the heart of the Moroccan campaign and we are about to start with the Spanish origin. For the moment, everything is going well. The quality of the melons is good, prices are reasonable, volumes are satisfactory and there is no supply problem. This year again, we will continue with our Rouge Gorge brand. We hope that consumption will be good,” Mourad Ben Salem, manager of Med’Essor told Fresh…

Tunisian researchers use AI, X-rays to create online virus scan tool

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TUNISIAN engineers have created a web-based platform that scans lung X-rays and evaluates whether patients are likely to be suffering from the COVID-19. Teachers and students at the Tunisian engineering and technology institute INSAT have been developing the platform – COVID-19 Exam Ct/XR images by AI – since mid-March, with the support of German development agency GIZ, the Italian Society of Medical Radiology and US tech giant IBM. Thousands of X-rays of the lungs of both healthy people and COVID-19 patients have been fed into the platform, allowing artificial intelligence…

Repercussions of COVID-19 on the global system

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The new Coronavirus appeared in China, specifically in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, in late December 2019 and up to April 2, 2020. The infection transmitted to about one million people and resulted in more than 50 thousand deaths, with half of the world’s population isolated in their homes with the rise in various proportions (catching the virus, death and recovery) is still jumping. Epidemics have had a role in the rise of deaths and the fall of empires throughout history: Human history witnessed many epidemics that invaded societies,…

Ben Arous Regional Center of Democracy, Citizenship and Development takes part in national effort in combating COVID-19

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The Ben Arous Regional Center of Democracy, Citizenship and Development is taking part in national effort in combating COVID-19. As part of the centre’s strategy in supporting of the state’s efforts to fight against the Corona epidemic, the activists of the centre distributed tools for sterilizing masks and protection kits for the benefit of some municipalities in the region, organizations, and activists of the civil society. The centre will also remain in the service of the authorities and local and regional actors during this war against the COVID-19. TunisianMonitorOnline

Triomphe Thuccabor awarded International Prize for Best Organic Extravirgin Olive Oil in the World

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“For certain things, the world doesn’t stop…We continue to receive BIOL awards ( 25 years of history rewarding excellence in organic oils) granting us the EXTRA GOLD medal (the Extra Gold is the highest recognition of the competition). Let’s continue to work our olive trees for the new campaign” Maher Ben Islamil co-founder of Triomphe Thuccabor. Triomphe Thuccabor organic olive oil was awarded the International Prize for Best Organic Extravirgin Olive Oil in the World on March 20, 2020, in Bari, Italy. This distinction certifies that the organic extravirgin olive…

UTAP to train 150 farmers in better water resource management

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The Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries (UTAP) has launched a training project for 150 farmers from several Tunisian governorates. This initiative aimed for sustainable management of water resources and identification of new mechanisms for the implementation of water-saving irrigated crops. The agricultural sector consumes 80% of water resources in Tunisia. This situation poses a huge problem for the sustainable management of this increasingly scarce resource in the country. To address this issue, the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries (UTAP) launched on April 9, 2020, a training project for…

IMF grants $745m to Tunisia for COVID-19 response

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The International Monetary Fund on Friday approved a $745 million emergency loan for Tunisia as it continues to roll out an unprecedented number of aid packages to countries battling the coronavirus. “These resources will help address urgent fiscal and balance of payments needs stemming from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic” in Tunisia, the IMF said in a statement. The nation has been hit hard by the virus, and the economy is expected to contract by 4.3 % his year, the fund said, which would be the deepest recession since…